


Orange You Glad I Love You?

by ughfitz (wokemeup)



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Oranges, Pregnancy, This is basically fluff I wrote bc I wanted to use my punny title
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-04-05
Packaged: 2019-04-19 00:13:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14224905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wokemeup/pseuds/ughfitz
Summary: The story behind a family’s love for oranges and one another.





	Orange You Glad I Love You?

**Author's Note:**

> Title came first, then the fic ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 
> 
> Many thanks to [agentcalliope](http://agentcalliope.tumblr.com/) who is the actual best (both as a beta/person) and leaves me comments that make me laugh!

When she was around four years old, Jemma’s father plucked her out of bed, lumbered the two of them down the stairs as quietly as such a large man like himself could, swiped the tea-filled thermos off of the table, and grabbed two oranges in case they were feeling a bit peckish later on.

Jemma, quite the deep sleeper, was still sound asleep, only mewing out a soft sigh when her father’s keys jangled just a hint too close to her ear. She didn’t wake as the door to their car closed, nor did she wake when they ran over a particularly nasty bump on the long, dark, dirt road her father was driving on.

It was only when she heard the soft whisper of her name being called out to her, felt the cool air rush against her skin as her father shook her awake, and the blanket fell off her shoulders, that she finally began to wake up. Confused as to where they were (it was dark, and she had been in the middle of a rather strange dream), she intended to ask her father where they were, but when her eyes spotted the sky behind him, she needed no explanation.

Like every last Sunday of the month, her father had taken her out to some wide open field in the country, had packed them their favorite tea along with two oranges, and spread out a big blanket for them to lie down on and gaze up at the stars. This night was no different, though the sky was particularly clear, the air had a bit more of a bite to it – making the tea all the better – and the crickets were a little more active than they normally were for this time of year. But aside from that, they sky was just a magnificent as it always was, and Jemma’s curiosity and hopes and dreams to one day explore each and every star was as endless as the ocean of galaxies above. She knew with certainty that somewhere, somehow, she would find the answers to the millions of questions she had floating through that brilliant mind of hers.

Trying to suppress the yawn she felt bubbling to the surface, Jemma reached out for the orange and lifted it to her nose, hoping it would help her to wake up a little more.

It worked. The heavenly scent of pure orange – tangy and sweet – reminded her of the dozens of other nights like this that she had shared with her father. Her body thrummed with energy, and though she was still fighting off the last bits of sleep, she felt her senses begin to awaken as she looked up, and looked at all of the millions of twinkling lights in the sky that housed the possibility of life and millions of things just waiting for her to discover. And though she was only four, and needed to hand off the fruit to her father so he could begin the peeling process for her, she understood with distinct clarity that these moments shared between her and her father in their small, tucked away space of the universe, were special – magnificent, really.

Peeling the orange the rest of the way, she quickly tucked the skin into her pocket and tore a slice away. Taking a bite into the sweet flesh, she sighed contentedly, snuggled up closer to her father, and asked him to tell her one of the many tales of the stars.

The scientist in her (because, yes, even at four, Jemma Simmons knew exactly what she wanted to be) understood that though the tales were far-fetched and impossible, it was nice to consider that strong female warriors or dogs both big and small were the source for the many speckles of brilliant lights twinkling in the sky.

With the strong scent of lingering orange on her hands, the stars shining above, and her father’s deep tone spilling out the wonderful tales she had heard many times, she smiled and happily listened to each adventure and grand act of heroism.  

Her day only improved when, with his arm wrapped around her, she and her father watched as the sky faded from deep blue to a magnificent blend of summer hues – fantastic red, rich yellow, and, of course, orange. Just like her favorite fruit.

\---

It was no surprise, really, that she had been eating an orange when she went into labor. It was, after all, the only healthy food she had craved throughout much of her pregnancy. Aside from that, she liked to blame their daughter’s obvious inheritance of Fitz’s poor eating habits for the copious amounts of crisps and sweets she had indulged in over the past nearly nine months.

She had been sitting at her desk, looking up something or other on her computer, her free hand nervously fiddling with the remnants of her orange. She couldn’t tell you what she was researching, though, as her mind was completely and utterly distracted with worry over Fitz and Deke out on some mission, sure that danger was knocking at every corner.

While her mind flickered between the litany of dangers Fitz and Deke were likely facing, she paused, and thought about how strange the entire situation was, though not as strange as some of the other things she had faced in life, she supposed. Here she was, sitting at her desk in the Lighthouse eating her orange (despite the many ‘lab’ – if you could even call  _ this _ a lab – protocols she was breaking), and impatiently waiting to hear back from her husband and grandson. At the same time, she miserably tried to find  _ some _ sort of comfortable position in the lousy office chair that would ease the near constant ache that always seemed to ail her this late into her pregnancy. Nothing, unfortunately, seemed to work. In fact, her discomfort had only seemed to grow in the past few hours. 

Rubbing her stomach fondly, she sighed, and carefully stood up, feeling the urge to use the restroom yet again. And while her bladder had betrayed her a few times before in one of the many unsavory side effects of pregnancy, she knew that this time was different.

In a flurry of panicked movements and a garble of flustered words, she managed to find one of the few remaining agents at the base to help her. Though it was hours later, time seemed to fly by, and before she knew it, the agent (by  _ some _ miracle she had recently taken a doula course) was preparing Jemma to push. Afraid of things to come, afraid of being alone – she had no husband or grandson, as odd as that was – she cried out in a mixture of pain and despair, her tears blinding her from seeing the door being pushed open as Fitz ran towards her.

Instantly, Fitz was by her side whispering soothing words of encouragement and letting her squeeze his hand as hard as she needed.

In a moment that felt like a scene in the movies where everything seems to slow down and blur into a bokeh-lit world, Jemma felt one last bit of intense pressure and let out a long, guttural scream, before her entire world changed. Their little family of two was finally three – well, four, _technically,_ if you counted their grandson who had accidentally come back with them from the future.

Once their daughter had been checked and cleaned, the tiny bundle was placed on Jemma’s chest, and both she and Fitz looked down at their daughter in awe, their hearts full a love. Jemma chuckled softly at her and Fitz’s twin grins, content in knowing that surely they were the happiest and proudest parents ( _ parents! _ ) in all of history.

It was some time later, after the others from the team had come and said their hellos, when they heard a tentative knock echo out into the room.

It was Deke, looking more nervous and more like the little boy they had yet to meet, than ever before. After Fitz’s gentle reassurance that it was okay for him to come in, that they  _ wanted _ him to come in, Deke walked anxiously over to the foot of the bed. It was such strange occurrence to have to both grandson and his mum – a mum  _ just  _ born – in the same room, but it was perfect nonetheless. Besides, she thought, when had the last few years of her life ever been normal?

Jemma looked around the room feeling her heart explode with love for these three people. Never would she have thought herself capable of loving more than one person so deeply, but here she was, in awe that her heart could make even more room for her ever-expanding family.   

As Jemma looked down at the little thing that was the best of both her and Fitz, she lightly ran her finger along the ridge of the baby’s tiny nose and breathed in her wonderful baby scent.

She stopped, though, and let out a small chuckle when she realized that, along with the newborn smell, there was just a hint of lingering orange mixed in from when she had been eating the fruit what felt like days ago.

It was intoxicating, all of it. Their baby, the warmth of Fitz’s body behind her as he gave her a loving peck on the side of her neck, and Deke – the strange boy who had incredibly wormed his way into her heart and her family – smiling fondly at his mother.

Just like the scent of the orange, this moment with her odd, little family was sweet and absolutely perfect.

(And later, when Deke asked if all babies smelled like oranges when they are born and Fitz jokingly responded something or other about  _ only those not born to belligerent space goons _ , she couldn’t help the loud laugh that fell from her lips. Her family, even with all of their quirks, was truly perfect.) 

**Author's Note:**

> Now, the real question is, would baby FS be named Clementine or Cara? Or maybe Valencia? No matter the name you choose, I appreciate you taking the time to read this! Kudos and comments are always appreciated! 
> 
> I'm also over on [Tumblr](http://ughfitz.tumblr.com/), feel free to come and chat!


End file.
